Device for fixing a dental prosthesis

ABSTRACT

The device is included into the lower portion of each false tooth placed at extremity of the prosthesis. The device is constituted by an alveole included into the prosthesis and insidely comprising a cavity holding a transverse spindle on which is hinged a resilient element having a protruding end forming a ring.

mted States Patent [191 {111 3, Lapeyre Sept. 10, 1974 DEVICE FOR FIXING A DENTAL [56] References Cited PROSTHESIS UNITED STATES PATENTS [76] Inventor: Gabriel Ernest Rene Lapeyre, Rue 2,748,480 6/1956 Weissman 32/5 Cesar Campinchi, Bastia, France 22 Filed: 2 1973 Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock [21] Appl. No.: 335,825 [57] ABSTRACT The device is included into the lower portion of each [30] Forelgn Apphcahon Pnonty Data false tooth placed at extremity of the prosthesis. The Feb. 28, 1972 France 72.6714 de i e i on tituted by an alveole included into the prosthesis and insidely comprising a cavity holding a US. Cl. transverse spindle on which is a resilient ele- [51] Int. Cl. A61C ment having a protruding end forming a ring [58] Field of Search 32/5, 6, 7

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEU SEP 1 01974 SHEET 1 BF 2 DEVICE FOR FIXING A DENTAL PROSTI-IESIS The present invention relates to a dental prosthesis device which is to be incorporated into the lower portion of each false tooth placed at the end of the prosthesis, the same comprising either a palate or only a plate covering partially the gum.

Devices for fixing a dental prosthesis are already known, said devices holding false teeth either with help of a palate or with a plate covering partially the gum. But said devices are not aesthetic since they can be seen in the mouth of the person having the prosthesis, moreover they can be sometimes dangerous for the genuine teeth on which they are fixed. Actually the genuine teeth are damaged by the constant rubbing of 'the fixing device on the genuine teeth forming an axis and especially during mastication.

The present invention solves these disadvantages by providing a fixing device which cannot be seen in the mouth of the prosthesis holder and which limits to a strict minimum the rubbing against the genuine teeth which are forming pivot axes.

According to the invention, the device is constituted by an alveole or cell included into the prosthesis, said alveole comprising a housing with walls forming a cavity and holding a transverse spindle on which is hinged a resilient element having a protruding end forming a ring with a flattened area coming in contact with a genuine tooth contiguous to the prosthesis whereby holding the same on the genuine tooth.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the resilient element is constituted by a spring having a substantially V-shape with double parallel element, one arm of the V-shape being fixed in the cavity of the alveole, while the other arm of the V-shape is winded up around an horizontal spindle removably fixed to the alveole and protrudes from dais alveole to form a ring with a flattened area.

Various other characteristics of the invention are moreover shown in the following detailed description.

An embodiment of the invention is shown by way of non-restrictive example in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fixing device. FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the fixing device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line lIIIII of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the fixing device taken along line IVIV in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partly exploded side elevation view showing how to place a prosthesis provided with the fixing device according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a partly exploded side elevation view of the prosthesis placed on the gum.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view talgen along line VII- VII of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a partly exploded side elevation view showing a prosthesis during its removal from the gum whereon it has been placed.

In FIG. 1, the fixing device comprises an alveole or cell 1 having, at rear portion thereof, or substantially parallele-piped shape and havng an oblong shape at its front portion.

The alveole 1 has walls forming a housing with a cavity 2 therein receiving a spring 3 having substantially a V-shape. Said spring is double and is provided on one of its wings with two extensions 3a, 3b of which the ends are anchored into the inside portion of the cavity 2, while the curved portion (bottom part of the V- shape) is housed in bottom of the cavity 2. The two other arms 3c, 3d are ended, on their front portion, with a ring 5 which is flattened to constitute an horizontal bar 5a. Before forming the ring 5, the two arms 3c, 3d form a number of windings wound aroud a spindle 4 removably mounted in the alveole 1. The alveole is laterally extended by wings 6, 7.

As it can be seen in FIG. 5, the fixing device is held by any suitable means inside a cavity 15 made into a false tooth 14 being a part of prosthesis 10. Said prosthesis carries false teeth 12, 13, 14 and, besides comprises wings ll overlapping the gum G.

Due to the shape of the spring 3, it is possible, when placing the prosthesis on the gum G (See FIG. 5) i.e. by pushing in direction of arrow F (FIG. 5) the prosthesis on the gum G, to temporarily deform the ring shaped end 5 of the spring 3 thus this ring is straightened up and can easily slide along the genuine tooth D contiguous to one of the ends of the prosthesis.

This prosthesis is then easily placed on the gum. In the present case, the lower gum has to be covered. When the prosthesis is placed on the gum (See FIG. 6) the spring 3 is released and the ring 5 takes a substantially horizontal position, which means under the neck of the genuine tooth D, thus locking one of the ends of the prosthesis.

The other end of the prosthesis is locked in the same way by a fixing device which is placed into the end false tooth opposite the tooth 14.

As mentioned in the above disclosure, the flattened portion 5a of the ring 5 is only bearing against the outer surface of the genuine tooth D beneath the neck of said genuine tooth and thus holds the prosthesis. The device is thus perfectly invisible even if the person having said prosthesis opens his mouth since the fixing device is placed between the teeth just above the gum. Besides, rubbing is reduced to a strict minimum due to the fact that there is a straight surface, in fact reduced to a straight line.

When the patient desires to remove his prosthesis, he

pulls on said prosthesis, which raises (FIG. 8); the prosthesis, being a lower prosthesis, the ring 5 swivels towards the bottom due to the clearance 1b designed into the lower portion of the alveole 1, thus enabling the ring 5 to be slidingly released along the genuine tooth D. The motion is performed in direction of the arrow F (FIG. 8).

When an upper prosthesis is concerned, very often a palate has to be added to the prosthesis and consequently the fixing step is made on both sides of the mouth, which means while using a similar device as the one above described but placed on the other side of the mouth.

It is to be noticed, as it has already been explained, that in the neutral position, i.e. when the prosthesis is placed (FIG. 6) there is substantially no action on the genuine tooth because the linear end of ring 5 touches only slightly the genuine tooth.

Due to the manufacture of the spring 3 and as already mentioned, the spring works in three different positions: either upwards in srong function (FIG. 5) or in released position (no function, FIG. 6) or yet in low function (FIG. 8, removal of the prosthesis). The efficiency of said device consists in the constant return back of the spring 3 into the released position as represented in FIG. 6.

The alveole l is made, whenever possible, of a plastic material sufficiently resistant and tolerable by the system and which can be easily placed into the false teeth. The spring which is most of the time made of steel could be also made of any other suitable material presenting little hysteresis.

In the example represented and described in the above disclosure the two elements 30, 3d constituting one of the arms of the V-shape are forming two winds around the spindle 4 but, in some cases, one of the arms can form one wind on the outer side for example the portion 3d, while the other inner side of the arm 30 will form two or three winds around the spindle 4 which can be realized either by a small threaded spindle being placed into the alveole, or only by a small loose spindle.

The wings 6, 7, fixed to the alveole 1 enable fixing said alveole on the plate of the prosthesis supporting the false teeth.

a housing mountable in said prosthesis, the walls of said housing forming a cavity having an opening; a spindle mounted to said walls of said housing and extending across said cavity; resilient element pivotally coupled to said spindle and having a lever arm portion with an engaging surface for contacting a genuine tooth, said lever arm portion normally protruding from said cavity through said opening while being resiliently pivotable about said spindle, whereby said prosthesis having said device mounted therein can be fixed against the neck of an adjacent genuine tooth in the normal protruding position of said lever arm portion, and can be installed against and removed from the neck of said adjacent genuine tooth by pivoting of said lever arm portion.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilient element comprises a wire spring, and said lever arm portion comprises a ring with a flattened peripheral portion forming said engaging surface.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said spring further includes a pair of parallel arms extending from said ring and coiled around said spindle, said parallel arms extending into said cavity and bearing against said walls whereby said ring is resiliently and pivotally coupled to said spindle.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said opening extends along an entire side of said cavity and around an adjacent corner formed by an adjacent side of said cavity so that said lever arm is pivotable out of the plane of said entire side whereby removal and installation of a prosthesis containing said device from an adjacent genuine tooth is facilitated. 

1. A device for fixing a dental prosthesis comprising: a housing mountable in said prosthesis, the walls of said housing forming a cavity having an opening; a spindle mounted to said walls of said housing and extending across said cavity; a resilient element pivotally coupled to said spindle and having a lever arm portion with an engaging surface for contacting a genuine tooth, said lever arm portion normally protruding from said cavity through said opening while being resiliently pivotable about said spindle, whereby said prosthesis having said device mounted therein can be fixed against the neck of an adjacent genuine tooth in the normal protruding position of said lever arm portion, and can be installed against and removed from the neck of said adjacent genuine tooth by pivoting of said lever arm portion.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilient element comprises a wire spring, and said lever arm portion comprises a ring with a flattened peripheral portion forming said engaging surface.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said spring further includes a pair of parallel arms extending from said ring and coiled around said spindle, said parallel arms extending into said cavity and bearing against said walls whereby said ring is resiliently and pivotally coupled to said spindle.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said opening extends along an entire side of said cavity and around an adjacent corner formed by an adjacent side of said cavity so that said lever arm is pivotable out of the plane of said entire side whereby removal and installation of a prosthesis containing said device from an adjacent genuine tooth is facilitated. 